Gringo originated as (white) Americans came to Bolivia. It first referred to to them in a non-derogatory fashion but then extended to mean any foreigner that is not clearly of a different ethnicity (Asian for example). As pointed out, current use can or not be derogatory.

On a side note, I quiet like the blog and having lived for some time abroad also find amusing many things in our culture (or sometimes the lack of it).

The origin of the term ‘gringo’. When the fruit companies came South from the USA, they only wanted the green fruit, like bananas, mangoes, etc. So they said, “Only the green go. Only the green go.” So, it follows, green-go—shortened to gringo.

The story i know is the one gringoinbolivia is telling. I actually first heard it when i was attending school in the USA and was told to us by a history teacher as we were on the subject of the wars with Mexico. The saying was “green go home” urging Americans to go back to their country or go back to “their side of the river”… a bit ironic now don’t you think?

About the subject at hand (I left a response here before but for some reason it seems as it did not submit) the story I know of where the term first came to use is the one told by gringoinbolivia, I learned of it when I was doing middle school at the USA and we were going over American history, specifically the conflicts with Mexico, it was told to us by the history teacher (because someone had mentioned the term in class) and she advised that it came from the Americans wearing a green uniform and Mexicans wearing Blue. Mexicans would shout “Green Go Home” advising them to go back to the US or… “stay on their side of the river”… Rather ironic now don’t you think?